‘SymBeeOsis’

In spring 2021, associate professor of entomology Shawn Steffan and members of his lab hosted film company Day’s Edge Productions. The crew shot extensive footage of the lab’s bee-microbe projects, including installed nests and other locations in the UW Arboretum and Allen Centennial Garden. The final production, a short film entitled SymBeeOsis, was released earlier this year. It highlights the key role that microbes play in the lives of bees and offers insights into why these crucial pollinators are in decline. The film also features Steffan’s collaborators at other universities.

Which winter wheat?

The CALS agronomy and plant pathology departments have released the results of the 2022 Wisconsin Winter Wheat Performance Trials. Conducted each year along with cooperating farmers, the trials take place at four Wisconsin locations (Arlington, Chilton, Fond du Lac, and Waterloo). They include released varieties of wheat, experimental lines from university breeding programs, and lines from private seed companies. The trials are designed to help growers select the best-performing varieties for their specific goals and regions and to help breeders determine whether to release new varieties.

This article was posted in Changing Climate, Economic and Community Development, Fall 2022, Findings, Food Systems, Healthy Ecosystems and tagged Agronomy, Entomology, plant pathology, Shawn Steffan, SymBeeOsis, winter wheat, Wisconsin Winter Wheat Performance Trials.